Top Energy lines discount/dividend FAQs May 2024 

Top Energy is the Consumer Trust owned electricity lines company. As a Consumer Trust, we are owned by the Far North consumers connected to the electricity network.

If you’re connected to the Top Energy electricity network, you qualify for a credit of up to $300. This comprises of a lines discount of up to $200 and a dividend of $100 as a return on your investment. This will appear on your May/June retailer power bill.

Who gets the discount?

You are eligible for the Top Energy discount if you were connected to the Top Energy network and your name is on the bill on 31 March 2024, and you have used more than 1 kilowatt hour (kWh) of power between 01 April 2023 – 31 March 2024.

To receive the full $200, you must have used over 1,130 kWh.

If you have used between 1 and 1,130 kWh, you will receive a minimum of $57 if on a Low User Residential Plan or $142 if on a Standard User Residential Plan or General Commercial Plan, and the total dollar amount will increase depending on your kWh power consumption.

If you were not connected on 31 March 2024, you won’t be eligible for the discount.

Who gets the dividend?

You are eligible for the Top Energy dividend if you were connected to the Top Energy network, and you have used more than 1 kilowatt hour (kWh) of power between 01 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 and paid network charges of $100 excluding GST or greater.

This will be a fixed payment of $100.

If you were not connected on 31 March 2024, you won’t be eligible for the dividend.

When will I see it on my bill?

For most customers this will appear on your May bill. If it doesn’t appear as a discount line on your bill by June, check with your electricity retailer.

FAQs 

How is it applied to my bill?

If you:

• get a monthly bill by email or post your Top Energy discount and dividend is credited to your account by your electricity retailer and this will appear on your bill.
  
  
• have a Direct Debit Payment, your Top Energy lines charge discount and dividend is credited to your account by your electricity retailer, and this will appear on your bill. Your power bill is lower, and less cash than usual will be taken from your account.
  
  
• pay by Automatic Payment, your Top Energy lines charge discount and dividend tops up your account and, depending on your retailer, you may be free to choose to reduce the amount you pay at each instalment or put a stop to it for a while.
  
  
• have a pre-paid electricity account, your Top Energy lines charge discount and dividend tops up your account. Next time you call your retailer or pop into the Post Office, check your balance, and choose whether or not to make your usual payment.

Why don’t Top Energy reduce the lines charge?

We don’t reduce the lines portion of your bill, as your electricity retailer has no obligation to pass on lines cost reductions, however the benefit of a discount or dividend must be passed through.

If I close my account and the discount and dividend doesn’t appear, who do I take this up with? If you were connected to the Top Energy network on 31 March 2024, you should contact the electricity retailer that you had the account with on that date.

My neighbour has received two discount payments and I’ve just received one. Why? 

It must be that your neighbour has more than one electricity account and connection point.

Does each power connection receive a separate line charge credit? 

Yes.

Will I have to pay income tax on my discount payment? 

Only if you claim your electricity payments as a business expense in your tax return.

Does the discount include GST?

Yes. $173.91 + GST of $26.09 = $200

Why has the discount fallen from $250 incl. GST to $200 incl. GST? 

The total credit from Top Energy is increasing from $250 to $300. This credit is $50 more than last year, due to the strong performance of our investment in Ngāwhā Generation. The make up for the credit is now made up of two parts, a discount and a dividend which reflects the contribution from the Network and investment in Ngawha.

Will I have to pay income tax on my dividend payment? 

If you’re a NZ tax resident, you will have to pay tax on dividends. However, the dividend does have 33% of prepaid tax attached to reduce the amount of tax you need to pay. You will receive a statement to this effect from the Top Energy Consumer Trust in the post. For more details please refer to: IRD - imputation credits

Does the dividend include GST?

No. Dividends falls outside the scope of GST as it is a distribution of profits and not considered a good or service.

I am in credit with my power account - how do I get the cash?

You should call your electricity retailer and they may arrange a payment or offset against future bills.

My name is no longer on the electricity bill. But it was until very recently. 

Discounts and dividends are paid through electricity accounts and it is the account holder on 31 March who gets the discount and/or dividend.

I’ve left the region, but I paid power bills for most of this year. 

Discounts and dividends are paid through electricity accounts and it is the account holder on 31 March who gets the discount and/or dividend. It’s possible that you will qualify for a lines charge discount from the lines company in your new region.

Will I receive another discount/dividend in November? 

No. The discount and/or dividend is once per year.

Can I choose to receive my discount/dividend in November instead of May? 

No. We apply the same process to everybody.

I am not happy with the process. Who can I take this further with, and how? 

Contact Top Energy on 0800 867 363 or email feedback@topenergy.co.nz to engage our complaints process.